I think that this poem is really weird. Sorry but it's kind of (really)
Stupid

Billy from Australia

Comment 13 of 374, added on March 15th, 2006 at 5:29 PM.

This poem at first glabe is a mere poem of patriotism, but it goes much
deeper than that. I like the way cummings breaks the rules of writing, he
is a true modernist writer. He uses irony,and figurative language which is
refreshing compared to various other poems.

-G Par

gpar2008 from Barbados

Comment 12 of 374, added on November 21st, 2005 at 6:54 PM.

Going back to Har Har's comment, any partisan politics are "moronic." Such
generalization makes you seem like a very narrow-minded person. I side
neither with the "left" or "right" because I believe thinking for yourself
involves detaching yourself from either political position (granted there
are more than two). To help clarify, here are the words of the greatest
America poet ever:
"While some on principles baptized
To strict party platforms ties
Social clubs in drag disguise
Outsiders they can freely criticize
Tell nothing except who to idolize
And then say God Bless him." - Bob Dylan

I think all of us understand the poem. the fact that it is a jumbled mix
of patriotic sayings is so evident it need not be expressed. The point is
the meaning behind it. does this mass of patriotism sencerely make up for
the loss of life and the lack disingenuous nature in which it is presented?
We are looking at our current leaders and seeing this mass of jingo being
presented once again. I like to read this poem in conjuction with "Dulce
et decorum est". its a nice match.

Katie

Comment 10 of 374, added on October 27th, 2005 at 6:01 PM.

none of u understand this poem......the poem is a speech of a politician.
it is mocking him because there is no original thought. his words are the
words of other famous song writers and poets.

no name from United States

Comment 9 of 374, added on June 15th, 2005 at 2:26 AM.

Analysing stylistically Cummings`s poems is one of the most challenging
activities for me. I am a linguist and my approach to poetry is primarily
linguistic. I In this poem the apparent morphological deviations play an
important role in the construction of the overall theme.In any structural
unit,such as sentences,clauses or phrases, linguistic items such as verbs,
nouns or adjectives should be written in isolation, separated by spaces in
writing. In the sixth line,Cummings removes the gaps between the words that
constitute the phrase "deaf and dumb" and uses them to form a single word
"deafanddumb". Semantically and morphologically speaking "deafanddumb" can
not be considered as a compound. Running more than one word together as if
they were one violates the rule that stesses the necessity of indicating
the boundaries between words by spacing. Besides,the morphological internal
structure of the adjective "beautiful" is fragmented since it is
interrupted by a hyphen "beaut-iful". Cummings divides it not into its
morphological constituents that is into free morph "beauti" and bound morph
"-ful" but into "beaut" and "iful". Removing the gaps between the words
"deaf","and", and "dumb" reflects thr poet`s eagerness to live in a world
where there is no disparity between what people say and what they
feel.Modern men`s patiotic discourse is hollow, pointless and hypocritical.
The removal of spaces reveals his yearning for real and sincere feelings.
Modern man "rushed" hopefully to benefit from all the advantages that
American modern society provides but he "did not stop" to perceive the
boundaries or the limitation of his hope. The fragmented morphological
structure of the adjective "beautiful" communicates the fragmentation of
the world, in addition to modern man`s shattered soul and hope.
Stylistics can help us understand poetry .

Yes, America is no longer America, the land of the pilgrims,the oppressed
and those who yearn to be free.In America patriotism becomes a blind
feeling leading,using Cummings`s odd style,to no significant and worthwhile
where. The American soldiers rush like lions to the roaring slaughter, to
death and still sing "next to of course god america i love you !!!

This is a very compelling poem, and what I find interesting is that most of
the people who have commented here seem to disagree with it. I can't tell
you if I do or not but I can certainly understand where it's coming from.

Well said, Har har. No generalization can apply entirely to any one group
but from I observe the dogma of the left is enforced more completely and
rabidly than the Thought Police of Orwell could dream. Some follow our
leaders blindly and some do it with their eyes wide open but at least most
conservatives, that I've met, allow those who will follow to follow and
those who won't to disagree. Criticism is not censure and freedom of speech
applies to all opinions, not only those that are "P.C."

tennis_girl192 from United States

Comment 5 of 374, added on February 10th, 2005 at 11:28 AM.

...but there are two sets of leaders. Truth is, there's a debate, but the
left isn't part of it. The left, unfortunately, can't or won't communicate.
They just stand there with their eyes closed, bellowing their doctrine at
the rest of us. They don't listen. They don't think. If you disagree, if
you ask questions, if you think for yourself at all, they throw a fit and
scream at you that you're a "moron" or a "fascist" or whatever. They call
you a racist if you believe in God, and they call you a homophobe if you
own a gun. Those are perfect non sequiturs, by the way.

It's a sort of Stalinism of the mind.

The "patriots" you hate and fear are questioning their leaders a lot more
than you're questioning yours.

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